Flexible hinged drawbar for harrows



Dec.9, 1930. N. CHRIS-HANSEN ET AL 1,784,576 l FLEXIBLE HINGED DRAWBAR FOR HARROWS Filed Aug. 26. 1929 www aff/gama? y "f1.5 the lmain section.

Patented Dec. 9, 1.930

UNITED STATES ynnns onnrszineiivsniv AND CHRIS MoiiTENsEN, orninesrnn, Iowa]` FLEXIBLE HINGED DRAWBAR FR'HARROWS Application led August26, 1929.V Serial No. 388,431.

The object of our invention is to provide a hinged draw bar for harrows of simple, durable and comparatively inexpensive construction.

A further object is to provide a draw bar consisting of a'lcentral or main bar and end or wing bars hinged to the ends thereof t permit the end bars to be folded over the main bar for passing the harro'w through `10 gates, barn doorways, etc.

Heretofore, draw bars of this character` have been employed, but have met with considerable difficulty and dissatisfaction, in that the bar has a tendency to roll and assume nu- `I5 merous `unfavorable positions, due to the use of unsatisfactory bitching means, which lack vthe required rigidity necessary to maintain the draw bar in proper relation, attached to the harrow. y v Y f The invention to this end includes a draft hitch rod extending from the main bar with a pair of braces extending diagonally therefrom and having turn-buckle tie rod connections with hinge pins that extend forwardly from the hinge connections of the end bars to the main bar. 5

The principal obj ect of our invention is to provide,in a hinged draw bar, improved rigid bitching connections for insuring that the pivoted draw bar members will always remain in their proper relations during normal use of the device. s .Y A further object of this invention resides in the provision of novel means Afor pivotally connecting the main and wing bars Itogether, whereby greater `flexibility will be acquired'in its use in connection with va harrow.i

an inclined position over the main bar, so that the same may be quickly moved to their Operative position without the necessity 'offlifting vform'ed in two pieces and bolted together, Va plurality of openings being provided for themfrom an otherwise flat disposition upon Another object resides in providing means` 140 wherebythe wing bars may be supported at Still another object is to provide the main bar extensible with novel connecting means for accomplishing such extension and to make the diagonal braces and tie rods adjustable to accommodate themainl bar when extended to differentV lengths.` Y i With these and other objects in view our invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of the various parts of our device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as. hereinafter more fullyset forth, pointed out in our claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in whichff 4 v Figure 1 is a plan view'of one form of our improved draw bar construction.

Figure 2is a `front elevationof the same,

showing the end bars intheirfolded posii tions over the main; bar; and y Figure 3 is an enlarged; sectional view on s the line 3 3 of Figure 2.

, Our draw bar construction consistsy ofV a ymain-bar A and wing bars B. [The vmain bar A consists of a'pair of bar members 10 connected by a `pair of channel-shaped connecrvtors'=12ffittingfover the forward and rear :edges-of the bar members 10, as best shown vin Figuregof the drawings. Y

7 The ,connectors 12 are securely ,clamped -against lthe forward andrearward edges of `:the barv members 10 byv means of U-bolts 14 and 16 `and bars 18and 2 0..v The bars 18 have o rearwardly looped portions 22 to receive harrow rings 2li. v f LA draft hitch rod 26 extends through the eye 30. vA pair of braces 32 extend froma pivot bolt 34 inthe draft hitch rod. 26 diag- Aonally back to the main bar A with which they 'are pivotally connected as by rivets 33.

1 The bracesV 32 are e extensible by` being Hinge pins 42 extend through the hinge plates 38 and 40'for providing pivotal connections between theends of the main bar VA and the inner ends of the wing bars B, whereby the wing bars B may be caused to assume the dotted line position shown in FigureV 2 when it is desired to drive the harrowgthrough a gate or barn door.

Our present invention has to; do particularly with a means for preventing backward bending 'of the wing bars Bor in other words, -a means to keep the bars A and B always in alignment regardless of the weight of the harrows being pulled behind the draw bar structure.'Y It is desirable to provide 4such a m'eans which does not interfere with the movement of the wing bars B to the dotted -line position shown in Figure 2.

We have accordingly extended the hinge pins 42 forwardly as bestshow'n in Figure 1 and braced them against bending relative to the bars By by means of bracermembers y44. The forward extensions of the hinge pins 42 are then braced to the draft hitch rod 26 by means of turn-buckle :tie rods 46.

Thus, the pulling strainon the draft hitch .rod26 is transmitted through the tie rod 46 and brace 44 to each wing bar B'to prevent backward swinging movement thereof.

--swinging .ofthe wing bars B.

' It will be noted that the d'rawlbar is flexible because of thehinged connection of the end bars B to the mainbar A and the hinged Vconnection of the braces44 to the .hinge pins '42. This construction permits the draw `bar to follow at all times uneven surfaces of the ground over which it is passing, without-perbar A, so that the harrow sections are always kept in theirlproper relativefpositions,

regardless ofk the upward or downward The-braces 32 are made extensiblevand the tie rods 46 are of turn-buckle construction,

whereby they may be adjusted when the bar members 10 'are adjusted lengthwise of the connectors 12 for shortening or lengthening fthe -m'ain bar A. 'For .a similar reason, the,

rearward ends of the braces 32 are pivoted at '33 to the bar members 10. Thus, when 'the main'b'ar A is lengthened, the braces 32 and tie rods 46 must likewise be lengthened so that the braces 32, tie rods 46 `and braces 44 ymay all be keptunder the proper tension to keep the wing bars B in exact alignment with the main bar A.

Some changes may be made in the construction andV arrangement of the parts of our device without departing from the real spirit and purpose of our invention, and it is our intention to cover by our claims, any modified forms of structure or use of mechanical equivalents, which may be reasonably included within their scope.

Ve claim as our invention:

l. In aV hinged draw bar for har-rows, a main lbarfand a pair 4of wing bars, 'said wing bars `and main bar being provided with upwardly curved plate extensions forming hinge members at adjacent ends, pin means for pivotal-ly'gconnecting saidllinge members 3. In a hinged draw bar for harrows, a

mainbar, and a pair of wing bars, said wing 'bars and main'bar being hinged together by means of hinge pins, a draft hitch rod extending forwardly from said `main section, brace members 'extending from adjacent the forward end of said Vdraft hitch rod to said main jbar'and tiev rods vextending from said braces to-'said lhinge'pins, Vsaid main bar, bracesand tie rods being extensible.

14. In a hinged -drawbar for harrows, a main bar, and a pair lof wing bars, said wing bars and main bar being hinged together by means of hinge pins, Aa Vdraft hitch rod eX- tending forwardly from said main section, brace members extending' from adjacent the forward end of said draft hitchrod to said mainbar and tie rods extending from said braces tosaid hinge pins, said main bar, fbracesandf-tie rods being extensible, and said 'braces being pivote-dto said mainbar.

"5.v In avdraw barfor harrows,aV main bar of eXtensible construction comprising apair loffbar members, a connector for said memward from saidA connector, braces `divergently arranged' and engaging said bar inembers, said braces being extensible to allow for --extension of 'saidV main bar, said hitch member includinga rod extended through said connector, fandv a nut on Asaid'rod engaging the rearward face Iof said connector.

y6. Ina draw bar for harrows, a main barV of extensible construction vcomprising a pair ofbar members, a connector for said members, said members being slidable relative thereto, a rigid hitch member extending forward from said connector, braces divergently arranged and engaging said bar members, said braces being extensible to allow for extension of said main bar, said hitch member including a rod extended through said connector,V and a nut on said rod engaging the rearward face of said connector, and turn-buck1e tie rod connections between said braces and the ends of said main bar.

Des Moines, Iowa, August 15, 1929.

NELS CHRISTIANSEN. CHRIS MORTENSEN. 

